Sports Journalists Conduct AGM

Sports
Journalists’ Association of The Gambia (SJAG) on Saturday successfully held
their Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Gambia National Olympic Conference
Hall in Kanifing.

The
AGM was attended by SJAG members and representatives from the GNOC and Gambia
Press Union.

The
AGM is a constitutional requirement that members shall meet annually for the
executive to report back to them on what it has been doing on their behalf.

In
his welcoming remarks, the association’s Honorary Life President Pap Saine
spoke highly of the importance of organising AGMs, which he said will show to
all how transparent the Association is. He commended the Association’s
executive members for their honesty and love for the Association, calling on
institutions and companies to support the Association.

The
veteran sports journalists reminded members of the Association to be united and
to be focused even though they are constrained by finance and capacity
building. “The profession has grown over the years with increased number of
sports journalists.”

Musa Sise, president of the Association
reechoed that the AGM is a constitutional requirement where the executive
reports back to members on what it had been doing on their behalf. “It is
important to know that the operation and functions of SJAG is not the easiest
of tasks that anyone would embark on.”

He
stated that his executive has been striving continuously to make a difference
for the next executive, reminding members of the need to be professionals in
their daily work.

Sise
also implored Sports Journalists to be active members of the body for the
betterment of all, saying they can be critical but they should always promote
Gambian sports and athletes positively.

Abdoulie
Jallow, Secretary General of The Gambia National Olympic Committee (GNOC) said
journalists are key partners in national development particularly in sports. He
said GNOC will continue to help in building the capacity of sports journalists.

Secretary
General of Gambia Press Union Saikou Jammeh said it is important that SJAG as a
body is seen holding sports association accountable by setting example in
organising the AGM to report to members for review and scrutiny. “GPU is very
proud of the Sports Journalists’ Association as one of the most active
affiliates in the media industry. We have seen you training your members which
is quite key. We have also seen you consistently awarding deserving
personalities in the country which is also very important in terms of promoting
excellence in sports in the country.”

He
said SJAG and GPU shared certain concerns which are capacity building and
regulating the media. “We are very happy that SJAG has supported its members to
undergo training at the GPU School of Journalism.”

Delivering
the Association’s activity report for the year under review, secretary General
Alieu Ceesay said they have implemented several activities including the 2017
delayed Annual General Meeting (AGM).

2017
Awards Night

Mr.
Ceesay said in what was a night of glamour and glitz reserved to celebrate the
country’s heroes and heroines in sports in 2016, they held their 8th National
Sports Awards Night at Djembeh Hotel and Spa at Kololi on 28th April 2017.

He
said the Gambia’s own three-time Africa Best Referee Award winner Bakary Papa
Gassama was crowned Gambia’s Sports Personality of the Year 2016 during the
event.

Ceesay
said in other categories, sprinter Adama Jammeh won the Best Local-Based
Athlete, Omar Colley won the Best Foreign-Based Athlete, Mawdo Jallow won the
Best Male Referee, IsatouTouray won the Best Female Referee, GPA won the Best
Team Award, GPA Coach Alhagie Sarr was awarded Best Coach of the Year, Sprinter
Gina Bass was awarded Best Female Athlete, Fatoumata Sillah won the Emerging
Talent Award, and National Female Beach Volleyball Team won the Emerging Team
of the Year.

“There
was a special award for Paralympian Demba Jarju. There were also honorary
posthumous awards to late Alhaji Momodou Dibba, Father Gough, M.I. Jallow and
Abdou Shyllon.

He
said the Association’s President Musa Sise was in the South Korean city of
Seoul for the 80th Congress of the Association of International Press Sport
(AIPS). “During the congress, delegates representing national sports
associations elected a new president and executive that will steer the affairs
of the AIPS for the next four years.

International
Sports Journalists’ Day

Mr.
Ceesay reported that on 5th August 2017, the Association commemorated the
annual International Sports Journalists Day (ISJD) at the Sand Beach Hotel and
was wrapped up with the annual fun day out on the beach where members
interacted and had fun as members of sports inky fraternity.

He
told delegates that in a bid to build the capacity of members, the Association
paid the tuition fees for all the SJAG-registered members who were enrolled at
the GPU-School of Journalism and Digital Media for Certificate and Diploma
courses.

Two
of SJAG members, John Mendy and Momodou Gajaga, according SG Ceesay were in
Cape Coast, Ghana in September 2017 where they covered the West African
Football Union (WAFU) tournament. “Their
presence in Ghana was made possible through the partnership between SJAG and
Fly Mid Africa. The Association is very much aware of the need to have our
members exposed to international competitions and will continue to look for
partners to make this happen.”

According
to him, a high-powered delegation led by their 1st Vice President Uthman Jeng
was also in Dakar in December 2017 to witness the annual awards night organised
by their sister association, ANPS. “Other members of the delegation included
executive member Babucarr Sey and assistant treasurer Kaddy Cham. SJAG member
Sally Jeng was also among the delegation.”

AIPS
Africa Congress

Mr.
Ceesay said they could not be represented at the December 2017 AIPS Africa
Congress in Nairobi as a result of the Air traffic controllers strike at the Dakar
Airport. “SJAG was to be represented by the President Musa Sise.”

Secretary
General Ceesay said despite the undertakings during the year under review, they
are still faced by challenges including their financial status which, he said
remains a main hindrance to the implementation of many of their plans.

He
expressed hope that members will change their perception towards SJAG and
realise that the body does not belong to an individual but for the entire
sports journalism fraternity.

Namory
Trawally, the Association’s treasurer presented the audited financial
statements outlining the income and expenditure of the Association for the
year.